tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21809879458598943142024-02-27T03:21:49.101-08:00TimSpeakerTrainerA variety of sales, management, leadership, relationship and general motivational articles by TimTimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.comBlogger382125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-60838716877735280632020-10-03T10:55:00.004-07:002020-10-03T10:55:44.687-07:00The Lost Sales Paradox<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Lost Sales Paradox<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you know
what your lost sales are costing you every month?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every year? Let me give you two quick
examples. It’s what refer to as – The Lost Sales Paradox.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Example one</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> - Your average sales are $1000 per
order. You have five salespeople on your team and their average close
percentage is one out of three sales presentations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They see approximately thirty potential
prospects every month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So – the results;
your average salesperson closes ten sales a month for 10,000 in total revenue
every month. So, your organization is closing 50 sales a month for $50,000 in
revenue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you are also losing one
hundred sales per month (the 2 out of three they don’t close) for a total of
$100,000 – or around a million bucks a year in total lost sales.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Example two</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> – Your average sales are $5,000 per
order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have twenty salespeople and
their average closing percentage is one out of three prospect presentations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They each see forty potential prospects each
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So – the results – your average
salesperson is closing 13 sales per month for $65,000 in revenue times twenty
salespeople so the total organization monthly revenue is a little under one and
a half million or around $60,000,000 per year but – you are also losing almost
three million in monthly revenue or $36,000,000 per year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To
summarize</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Example one
– Yearly sales revenue $600,000 – Lost sales revenue for the year - $1,000,000.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Example two
– Yearly sales revenue - $18,000,000 – Lost sales revenue for the year -
$30,000,000.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Regardless
of your organization’s products or services, the number of sales employees,
your sales-generating model, your competition or your market share the above paradox
generally apply and why?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First – very
few salespeople or organizations have a one hundred percent new customer
closing ratio.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Second –
Every organization sooner or later loses customers or clients for any number of
reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Third –
Every day the world is getting more competitive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And Fourth –
If you are not reinventing, staying ahead of the trends, and staying in touch
with reality it’s only a matter of time before you will be a statistic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let me
ask you - if I asked you the following question what would your answer be. “<i>If
you could invest, let’s say $25,000 in either situation above to cut your ‘lost
revenue’ losses, let‘s say by twenty-five percent or even in half – would you
do it</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, teaching
proven and contemporary sales techniques to hundreds of organizations around
the world for over thirty-five years guess what the most frequent answer I have
received to this question is when I have asked it? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, you would be willing to let go of more
than +/- 50% of your potential revenue by not investing a few thousand dollars
in teaching your sales team, customer service employees, or other employees who
interact with your customers the essential and/or creative communication, sales,
and negotiation skills to ensure you don’t lose this revenue year after year
because they lack the necessary these skills or attitudes to perform with
consistent, effective and creative excellence?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I get it –
unless I can guarantee you won’t stop losing this revenue why risk it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are other important things you can
invest or spend your money on like – more technology, nicer offices, or
employee compensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, but if you
add up the losses over the years imagine what you could have done with that
extra month after month revenue!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, the
sales process has evolved over the years due to technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the world is becoming a global
village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yes, with social media,
internet buying patterns and economic uncertainty things are changing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are three things that are not
changing. One – people buy from organizations and people they trust. Two – technology
will never completely replace the human touch when it comes to major, critical,
or significant purchases. Three - success will always involve a “Blending”
process – mixing the best strategies, approaches, and techniques from, the
past, present, and future. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If your
organization is losing more sales revenue than you are achieving (and you might
be amazed at how many organizations don’t know these statistics when it comes
to lost sales percentages or reasons) and you are ready to get ahead of the
curve when it comes to sales and marketing philosophy and performance-based
approaches – let’s chat. Timspeaks4u@gmail.com.<o:p></o:p></span></p>TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-33046383354170508172020-07-15T10:46:00.002-07:002020-07-15T10:46:37.557-07:00Life’s Eight Essential Ingredients! Tim Connor<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life’s
Eight Essential Ingredients!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life for some people is an easy day to day experience
filled with joy, success, contentment, and love but for many, each day brings
new or different challenges that force them to surrender to people or
circumstances they can’t control and even give in or quit because they don’t
have the resolve, purpose, faith or courage to overcome. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are multiple traits, attitudes, values, and skills
that can help each of us weather life’s storms and emerge each day victorious
but I believe there are eight that are critical for everyone to master
regardless of age, gender, race, economic status or health and they are;
wisdom, discernment, a spiritual foundation, responsibility, integrity, action,
courage, and resilience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there are
many more but over the years I have learned that if I can master these then
even if I am void of any others I can still overcome, prevail, survive and look
back on my life with peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But first why have I chosen just these eight as the
essentials? Well, it wasn’t easy as I have been on a very active journey for
over forty years of study, learning, evaluating, growing, overcoming, and
considering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read on average - two
books a week (and have for many years) by a wide variety of authors and I have
learned a great deal about what does matter and what doesn’t in life (no I am
not going to tell you how to live your life).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What works and what doesn’t and what to practice and what to let go
of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me add however that I am not there yet, not even close
as life is an ongoing lifelong process of learning and unlearning, letting go
and hanging on to, losing and winning and growing and staying stuck. I am a
student of life and not by any means an expert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I chose these seven for three reasons. 1) What have I
learned that I wish I had learned earlier. 2)What have I learned that has made
life more peaceful and filled with joy and 3) What have I learned that I wish I
had avoided or let go of sooner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, now the eight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wisdom – First – wisdom is not information, intelligence,
maturity, insight, character, knowledge, experience, or lessons learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the willingness and ability to blend
all of these into a lifestyle that contributes to success, happiness, inner
peace, contentment, and ease of living no matter what you have faced, dealt
with, overcome, or has hit you like a 2x4 when you weren’t looking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the ability to face all circumstances,
situations, people, failure, adversity and pain with a life view that shouts –
I can’t control everything or everyone but I can control myself and I can learn
to lean on God for guidance and not my self-sufficiency whether I am faced with
trials and struggle or success and prosperity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wisdom is simply living wisely according to what is and not what was, or
you hope will one day be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We all want success and happiness, but we don’t always get
to choose what will bring these to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We all want less adversity, struggle, and pain but we are the ones who
get to decide what it means, how we react to it, what we learn and how it
impacts every area of our life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That my
friends are wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Discernment – The ability to determine what is important,
relevant, or necessary to achieve a worthwhile life includes the ability to
choose wisely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we have hundreds if
not thousands of options, choices, and directions we could go but just because
it’s easy, quick, or good doesn’t make it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Discernment is the ability to consider both
the short-term impact of choices, decisions, and actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When you live with this as a mindset you will
live with less regret, disappointment, and frustration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t mean you will have fewer problems
or even less failure, but you will be better equipped to deal with these when
you choose with maturity, consideration, and a sense of reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A spiritual foundation – I’m not just referring here to religion,
but a belief system grounded in a belief in God or a higher power. I believe it
is necessary to have faith in God, but He also expects us to have faith in
ourselves, our desires, dreams, and goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By this, I am by no means suggesting that our human faith in life will
ever equal, replace or dismiss our faith in God but without faith in ourselves,
it is very difficult to have faith in anything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A spiritual foundation grounds you in a
certain degree of ethics, morals, and behavior that in the end will accelerate
your life journey in the right direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have met hundreds of people
around the world who lack a spiritual system or belief foundation and one
common thing I noticed with all of them was their attitude that when things
worked out they took the credit and when things didn’t they always blamed
something or someone. They didn’t understand the basic premise that we are all
broken and the only way to get fixed is to have a mindset that is grounded in
something higher than ourselves i.e. God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Integrity – We are living in a world that is filled with
uncertainty, a lack of congruence when it comes to words and actions and is
riddled with greed and self-absorption. And the ultimate consequences are a
lack of personal, relationship, and business integrity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, many people say what they mean and mean
what they say, but often separating these folks from the majority of society is
becoming very difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Integrity is
becoming a lost behavior in many ways in areas of society and the outcomes are
– chaos, dysfunction, emotional outbursts, and a lack of trust to mention a
few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Integrity is doing what is right
not what you think or believe is right as “right” can be defined differently by
everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is honoring basic
fundamental human beliefs and values that add trustworthiness to relationships
and human value.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Resilience – Quitting is easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving up is no challenge. Letting go – no
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surrender – better than
continuing g to feel the pain. OK, so why is resilience so important? I could
go on for pages but a quick answer is; if you give yourself the option to quit
or give in while pursuing a dream, goal or outcome do you think that the
attitude of possible quitting if things get tough might just influence your
actions or journey towards your desired outcome in a negative way? YES - it
will. Resilience is a test of your commitment, dedication, resolve, purpose,
mission, and ultimately how your personal life journey ends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Responsibility – Responsibility is all about integrity,
self-esteem, and looking in the mirror rather than pointing your finger at
someone or something else. Ultimately the responsibility is a definite indication
of your maturity and courage to fail, admit mistakes, and take whatever comes
at you for the outcomes you created or contributed to. I don’t know how my life
will end – broke or a millionaire but either way – I get the credit, or I take
the responsibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And you know what – your life is the same –
no matter how it turns out you can blame all you want but – you did it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Courage – There are many ways to define courage – physical
courage, emotional courage, mental courage, career courage, communication
courage – need I go on? What are the common traits regardless of the type of
courage life is asking you to demonstrate? Here are a few to consider;
self-responsibility (you don’t behave, act, decide, believe, function based on
other’s expectations, demands, or often even rules) you are guided by an inner
sense of values based on integrity, wisdom, and respect. You are not afraid of
failure, regardless of how others define it. You keep going as long as the end
makes sense and you believe it is possible to achieve. And finally, you can
adapt, adjust, modify, change, and grow as you move forward. You do this not
driven by fear or the need for approval but because you realize nothing is
certain and to achieve success you must be willing to grow, let go, and embrace
the unknown. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Action – Decisions, goals, dreams, and plans without
actions are meaningless. You would be amazed at how many people want better
life outcomes in some areas of their lives and plan, dream, and hope but never
act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the point in spending time
in these activities if you fail to move forward?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Action does not guarantee success or failure,
ease or struggle, positive or negative results but one thing is for sure –
without it, you will never achieve anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let me repeat to achieve you must act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It doesn’t matter whether it’s losing weight, becoming a millionaire, or
finding life joy and happiness – you have to act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Acting is never easy as it never guarantees
you the results or outcomes you desire but often the process can teach you
about what matters in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other
words, if you act and as you move forward you feel less comfortable with your
outcomes along the way it may be time to let go of something and embrace
something else or new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in the end
sooner or later you must act if you want to achieve anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why not consider these and how you are doing when it comes
to the quality of your life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go for it,
what have you got to lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-78201603882215178502020-07-13T10:20:00.001-07:002020-07-13T10:20:14.019-07:00Uncertainty – managing the future<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Uncertainty
– managing the future<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Oswald Chambers once said, “The only thing that is certain
is uncertainty.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Uncertainty definition – “</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the state of being uncertain - times of uncertainty and
danger." Well, that was really helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here’s
mine – When we don’t know what the future, whether the next minute or the next
year, has in store for us, will challenge us, help us, support us or cause
chaos for us or is either positive, neutral or negative. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">A little better, but definitions can often be challenging
since words can be interpreted differently by everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example – how would you define;
challenge, the future, problems, success, failure, or uncertainty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK on with the details (if you are still with
me).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">In times of uncertainty we have three options; wait, quit,
or act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s first look at each from a
short perspective. Waiting in some situations is stupid and in others a wise
choice - what’s the difference? If you are waiting to act for something you
can’t control, want to improve or disappear it’s wise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are waiting for outcomes for something
you can have influence or creative responses over - stupid. How about quitting?
Quitting can be either wise or stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Quitting is stupid if you have failed to evaluate, consider, or
effectively interpret circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is wise if you have exhausted all your options, resources, approaches, and
energy, and you just can’t change or improve the future outcomes no matter
what. And finally, you can act. Acting when you have limited experience,
resources, energy, time, skills, desire, clear direction, goals, etc. is
stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have all of these and are
filled with confidence and resilience acting is wise. So regardless of whether
a situation requires quitting, acting, or waiting the common thread is wisdom’s
ingredients. And what are these - when in doubt listen to your gut, inner
voice, heart, and consciousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Let’s take a more in-depth look at your three options and
their benefits and consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">There are five concepts however that you need to consider
before we dig into the details.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 106%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 106%; text-indent: -0.25in;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 106%; text-indent: -0.25in;">The
number one contributor to death is stress. The number one contributor to stress
is impatience. The number one contributor to impatience is the need for
control. And the number one contributor
to the need for control is fear of the unknown.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 106%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Doing
anything - driving, eating, exercising, working, etc. faster does not give you
one more minute of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Everything
changes evolves, ends, grows, or dies sooner or later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Letting
uncertainty in the future have a negative impact on your present will </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">contribute to a life-time negative impact on your past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Everything
in life has consequences; some are positive and some are negative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are short-term while others can take
years or even a lifetime to materialize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">OK, let’s take a more detailed look at; quitting, acting,
and waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Quitting – Ever quit anything too soon – a relationship, a
project a hobby? Quitting is only easy when you have given up – emotionally,
financially, physically, etc. The problem is that most people don’t want to
quit, they just want to want to quit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>See the difference?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want the
option to bail when we feel circumstances, results or expectations don’t equal
our goals or actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">To be honest, I have quit a few times when in hindsight
years later looked back I realized I should have hung in there just a bit
longer with more energy, more patience, more resolve, or more tolerance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Been there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Uncertainty can create a great deal of emotional tension
that many feel the need to manage or fix with action now, decisions now,
something now, anything now. Sometimes immediate action vs. quitting can be
beneficial but far too often quick or knee-jerk responses to challenges or
unknowns can lead to disaster, unnecessary failure, or costs emotionally,
financially, or physically that could have been avoided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">So, how do we know when not quitting is the right or best
option to uncertainty or unknowns. You are not going to like my answer but here
it is anyway – it depends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depends on
what Tim? It depends on your degree of commitment, investment, patience, a
willingness to let go or surrender, your ability to learn before you quit, and
your desire to ensure that whatever the outcome – it will be better than giving
up or throwing in the towel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">No one knows what lies around the next corner in
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh sure you can try and predict,
hope, dream, work like crazy and pray but in the end, life is uncertain every
single day of your life. After over forty years of speaking around the world, I
have learned a great deal but one thing stands out – if you can control it – do
something – if you can’t control it – chill, relax, breathe and use the time to
learn, grow and get wiser. But quitting is far too often pre-mature and stupid
without adequate evaluation, consideration, research, etc. I hope you notice
the connection between these three options – quitting, waiting, and action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not you have missed the central message in
this article. They are all connected in one way or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The secret is to learn to make the best use
of the combination of the three options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Keep reading and it will come to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Waiting – Ever had to wait for a call from your Doctor
with the results of a biopsy? How about a decision from a potential new
employer where you have applied for the job of a lifetime? Or a client who is
considering making the biggest purchase of one of your products in your career
history? Or how about little ones – a retuned call from a potential new date
candidate for a possible relationship? Or, just an email or text response from
one of your kids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This list of things we
wait for is endless and I will guarantee as you are reading this article you
are waiting for something from someone or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">A basic fundamental of the character of uncertainty is –
no one knows; when where, how, if, whether, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we can do is hope, dream, pray, and yes
wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are two kinds of
waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One is with wisdom,
intelligence, and maturity and the other is with pride, arrogance, ego, or
impatience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which tends to be your
approach? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The outcomes to both are significantly different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Waiting with wisdom or intelligence is grounded in
knowledge, experience, accurate information, and common sense. Waiting with the
other approach leads to stress, resentment, blame, anger, regret, and
disappointment. Yes, sometimes there are actions we can take while we wait and
other times - all we can do is just wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Trust me I understand the concept of waiting. After
speaking in 25 countries and I only speak English – trust me – I have had to
wait a lot for a lot of things and didn’t even know what I was waiting for or
why. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Been there? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Keep in mind - you can’t control the weather, the stock
market, others’ behavior, the traffic behind you, or in front of you, need I go
on? One thing I have noticed about mature people is their ability to wait when
they can’t control stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my life
mantras is simply – ‘I will not let your behavior determine my behavior’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this always easy – no way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I am traveling the speed limit and an
idiot is behind me on my tail beeping at me and flashing their lights for me to
go faster, it’s not always easy to just ignore these idiots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Waiting style demonstrates a person’s maturity, common
sense, wisdom, and intelligence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Acting – And the last action – acting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">There are four elements involved in acting and they are – the
how, the when, the who, and the where. For example, let’s say you were just
laid off from your position. Your spouse doesn’t work, you have three kids and
a lot of bills and the economy is sucking wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know I have been there – twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">No one is hiring, you have limited special skills and
limited cash to self-promote yourself. So, the four elements mentioned above. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">How – You have to earn some cash so the kids don’t starve.
Part-time job, two part-time jobs, reach out to family or friends, file
bankruptcy, sell your house, take a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant, live
on unemployment as long as it lasts – the options are limited or unlimited
depending on your definition of your circumstances. And your definition will
determine how you respond. The answer – spend a few hours every month reading,
learning, growing in important life areas and I’m not talking here about
survival tactics but just “life stuff” like improving skills in communication,
emotional maturity, negotiation, money management, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The when – do you have time to wait, reflect, consider,
etc. or do you need to do something now? The when will determine how you handle
the “how”. The answer – Read the book “The Power of Patience” by Ryan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The where – This one can vary depending on the
circumstances – where you live, where you work, where you play, where you do
anything or everything. The answer – if you live in the city, now and then take
road trips into the suburbs or the country to get familiar with different
areas. Once a year I take a week road trip to a new area within 500 miles of
where I live. If you live in the country, now and then spend a weekend in the
city. And why – to get rid of any fears about areas you are unfamiliar with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The who - This one depends on your relationships with;
family, friends, neighbors, fellow workers, customers, employees, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have people you can count on or ask
for help, guidance, etc. consider yourself fortunate as many people lack these
resources and have to go through uncertainty and challenges alone – again I’m
not preaching to the choir – I’ve been there. Sometimes, even if you have these
resources you might be unable to ask for help for any number of reasons. The
answer – spend time developing relationships with people you can count on if
you ever need help, support, or guidance in the future. And, find ways to be of
value and service to others who may some day come to you for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Well, that’s it - during uncertain times, and I am
familiar with them having been through four recessions during my speaking
career, you can; give in, point the finger, whine, blame, or learn, grow,
change, adapt and win.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-26017332001341607022020-07-13T10:14:00.002-07:002020-07-13T10:14:53.699-07:00Temporary truth and the consequences<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Temporary
truth and the consequences<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Do you know the difference between temporary truth and
real truth? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Today we are experiencing a great deal of conflict because
many people feel if they believe something, it is true. So you believe that
there are only 325 days in the year, everyone deserves an education, that all
old people are stupid - that these are truths. Have you ever disagreed with a
spouse, employee, or customer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me
describe the conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You tried to
convince them that they were wrong and you were right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They tried to convince you that they were
right and you were wrong. How am I doing? The problem is that truth evolves.
I’m not implying that Temporary Truth is right or wrong, just that a lot of
stuff is only true until their replacement truth shows up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Here is one example. For hundreds of years if you had an
illness, first they cut you open and let you bleed till you were cured – the
truth about medicine. Next treatment - they gave you pills. These were followed
by radiation, chemotherapy, and other invasive treatments. Keep going - Next,
they sent you to a therapist. For years people believed that the current
treatments were the best or even only treatment available. But, over time each
one was replaced by a new and supposedly better one – now the new Temporary
Truth. Real truth doesn’t change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Here’s a simple one – for hundreds of years people
believed the world was flat – the temporary truth (and based on what – current
beliefs grounded not in facts but rumors). Then – someone discovered that – wow
the world isn’t flat so it must be round – an updated version of current perceived
truth that everyone now embraced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">What is temporary truth – anything that is changing,
evolving, growing, fading, or is in the past or the future. What is real truth
– gravity is the truth? Consequences are truth. Death is the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Let’s be clear - opinions are not truth or reality. I’ll
wager if you asked 50 million people in the US what was their opinion about
(whatever – pick a topic) you would get at least 25 million different answers. So,
just because something is your opinion based on your experience, your
education, your personality your (stuff) it’s still only your opinion. You have
a right to it but here’s the interesting thing - I have a right to my opinion
on the same topic (even if it is different than yours). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">There is a great deal of discord in the world today and
why? Because most people believe their opinion is or should be the truth
(everyone’s truth) – what is right and what the rest of us should believe just
because you believe it. If this concept were true; the world is still flat, we
never went to the Moon, the average lifespan in the US is 35 years and God is a
myth - need I go on? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Truth is not the truth because you or I believe it or
think it should be true. Truth is grounded in facts and evidence and not
opinions – hear me please - FACTS. If there are no facts to back anything
up – it’s just an opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ever
screamed at the TV as you listened to the rantings of some political
Idiot?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever felt the stress of a
relationship that was <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">filled</span> with tension
or frustration? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could go on with
examples like these, but the question is – is there a common cause or
contributor to all or each of these life situations, struggles, or outcomes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">One of my favorite questions I ask people when they start
telling me (something) is true. Ready – “How do you know that? What true
evidence or facts is this based on?” Try it the next time someone gives
you their opinion on something and tries to convince you they are right and you
are wrong. It’s really fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
have had more than my share of people come up to me after one of my speeches or
seminars sharing their disagreements and/or opinions of what I talked about and
how they felt I was wrong or just plain out of touch - especially when it was anything
related to technology. I’m not kidding here – my opinion, no matter what it
was, was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if the Fax
machine will ever be obsolete? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the
years I have spent a great deal of time and research trying to identify what
the unique circumstances were that contributed to these types of reactions,
responses, or behaviors when dealing with others whether in person or at a
distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally figured it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
single biggest issue that contributes to poor communication, increased
conflict, negative relationships, ineffective employee performance, declining
health, bad decisions, lost business, ineffective management, and declining
organization success (need I go on?) - is simple but not complicated. In a <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">word,</span> it is “reality or truth” and not what was
true but what people wanted you to believe was true. When you deal in truth you
have a better percentage of better outcomes than when you deal in Temporary
truths or lies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let
me explain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone has opinions,
values, attitudes, prejudices, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">and</span>
beliefs that are grounded in personal experience, upbringing, conditioning, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">and</span> education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When blended <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">into</span> a person’s
mindsets these create their personal sense of reality; what is, what is right,
what is wrong, what needs to change etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The problem gets even worse when people begin to believe that their
sense of reality (the previous stuff and more) is THE “reality” in other words -
all other views, opinions, attitudes, beliefs, etc. are that disagree with it
are wrong, outdated, stupid, unnecessary or invalid because they are different
than theirs or challenge theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Imagine
for a minute the last conflict you had with an employee, spouse, or customer –
I will guarantee its source was the attempt by both of you to validate your own
opinion(s) and invalidate the other person’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Due to current trends in Political Correctness, Social Media, The Selfie
Generation we are very rapidly losing the ability to develop meaningful
relationships grounded in respectful acceptance of different opinions, values,
beliefs etc. – both business and personal – that are grounded in openness,
understanding, tolerance, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">and</span> respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So,
what’s the answer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, there are a few
things we all need to understand if we are going to deal in truth going forward
and in no particular order they are; fear, the need for control, the desire for
approval, arrogance, insecurity, denial, criticism avoidance, acceptance,
assumptions, uncertainty and change, the ripple effect, manipulation and yes so
many more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me just give you a brief
overview of each as I’m sure you have other things to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But
before I do - a quick real-life example from my past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many years ago I spent the holidays with the
family of a client and a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
night we had a conversation and he asked me, “Tim, what do you think about
reincarnation?” My answer, “I don’t know much, I just know I don’t believe in
that hokus pokus.” His response, “How can you have such a strong opinion about
something you don’t know anything about?” I have never forgotten that
conversation, and never will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fear –
Fear is the most powerful emotion in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And when we let others use it with lies or lack of truth we give them
power over us until the fear leaves us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
hundredth monkey effect – This concept says that once an idea, rumor, concept,
invention hits critical mass it is now spread quickly as truth regardless of
its validity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
need for control – Many people today will say or do anything that gives them
perceived control or power. The problem is that if their actions are not
grounded in truth eventually they will fail and lose this power or
control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just look at global dictators
over the years who have disappeared. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The need
or desire for approval or acceptance – Many people today want to be liked and
respected and want friends and connections who will “friend, like, support”
them. Let me ask you how many connections do you have on Facebook or Linkedin
that you don’t know at all but call them friends?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrogance
and ego – People who are driven by ego and arrogance will often do or say
anything that helps them maintain their reputation (no matter how dishonest it
may be), control, or ability to influence others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just look at many politicians today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Insecurity
– If people feel insecure they will often say anything to help them manage
their insecurity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Denial
– Denial is simple – it refuses to accept reality, truth, or any situations,
circumstances that are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Criticism
avoidance – Often people will avoid the truth, endorse untruths, or just stay
quiet for fear of losing their job, career, a relationship, or even their
health or safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Assumptions
– Assumptions are stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When someone
tells you something and you don’t question it you give them power over your
ideas, actions, beliefs, values, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Uncertainty
and change – When life is uncertain or changing people fear the future they
want reassurance or support that all will be well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why many people use fear as a
technique to control others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they can
keep you in fear mode – they can control you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lies work and why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we let
them and don’t’ have the courage to challenge them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
ripple effect – The ripple effect is like an ocean wave. Ideas, lies,
misrepresentations, etc. continue by the simple rule of endurance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Manipulation
– People will often use their version of the truth to keep others in
circumstances that they can control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just look at certain countries today that have populations that are
under siege and there seems to be nothing they can do to change them short of a
revolution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;">So, what current truths do you believe that are impacting
your life or choices and decisions and how do you define truth?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-3646509449606791582020-01-05T12:16:00.003-08:002020-01-05T12:16:30.303-08:00<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Few of my Life Mantras<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was not put on this earth for your approval.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I refuse to grow up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I will not let other people determine my behavior, values
or attitudes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am getting old but I’m not growing old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If it happens I will be excited - if it doesn’t I won’t be
disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dream big, plan well, work hard, smile always and good things will
happen.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is
happening now is nothing compared to eternity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will make
my dreams bigger than my memories.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quitting
is stupid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every
day is a gift.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was
were born, one day I will die – everything in between is trivia.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Today is the most important day of my life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Brokenness always precedes – joy, peace, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">and</span> wholeness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t wait for God to start you – keep going till He stops
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Stop talking about it – just do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fail often so I can succeed sooner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do I have that I can’t lose?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joy is not an emotion but a mindset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just because God says yes, He doesn’t mean now and just because
He says no He doesn’t mean forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you didn’t know how you were how old would you be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Laugh often and cry when you need to cleanse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life is short – have fun, make a difference and let go of
the stupid stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want my complete list - contact me:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-70254503916129941042019-10-13T08:46:00.001-07:002019-10-13T08:46:24.926-07:00Successful selling is not a transaction but a process.<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">Successful selling is
not a transaction but a process.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Two quick definitions:</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The sales transaction approach:</span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #303336; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .15pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> a one-time action or activity
involving two parties where a transfer of services or property is offered in
exchange for financial gain.</span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #212529; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .15pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
sales process approach:<span class="fragment1"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> a series of pre-planned actions or steps
taken in order to achieve a successful outcome.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
doesn’t matter what you sell – homes, computers, services of any kind, aircraft
or clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t matter whether
your products or services cost less than ten bucks or more than ten million.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
doesn’t matter whether you are selling a product or service that has a global
reputation or is a startup organization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
doesn’t matter whether you are a long-term seasoned sales pro or just getting
started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Have
I made my point yet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to a
successful sales outcome what matters is the approach you use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">One
of the biggest mistakes’ many salespeople (anyone who sells anything to any
one) make is they use a transactional rather than a process approach – let me
explain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are the short versions;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Example
one (Transaction approach) – you make an appointment, you show up, you give
your presentation<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and you try to close
the deal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Example
two (Process approach) – you do some prospect research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You investigate any issue or topic that might
impact their willingness or ability of them to buy from you. You attempt to
establish buyer/seller leverage – a referral, an endorsement, etc. from someone
the prospect knows. You ask lots and lots of questions before you launch into
your presentation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You maintain control
of the buying/selling process. You tailor every aspect of your message and
product or service to the profile of the prospect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You ask for the business and close the deal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">So,
here are just a few of the ways that poor salespeople fail to follow a process
approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there are many more and
in respect to your time, I am keeping these short and to the point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1.They
quote price too early in the process- just because the prospect has asked for a
price doesn’t mean they need it right away or are even ready for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prospects who want you to go to price early
are generally price shoppers and may not be worth a great deal of your
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Price is a function of perceived
value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have not had a chance to
build value - the price will always seem high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">2.
They talk too much. They don't ask enough questions early in the sales process.
They just ramble on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
salespeople feel or believe that people buy because of the various features of
their product or service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone’s
reasons for buying your product/service are unique. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">3.They
send out literature when asked, without first qualifying the prospect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billions of dollars of literature go in the
trash every year. Requesting literature is often just a ploy or tactic to get
rid of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You think, “Ah-ha… they want
information.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are thinking,
“Finally I have got this idiot out of my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">4.They
rely too heavily on technology -using emails, websites, texts, etc. Selling is
about trust and relationships and you don’t build those by typing a bunch of
keys on a device and then hitting the “send” button. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">5.
They lose control of the sales process or never get it at the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not talking here about manipulation but
the ability to have the process proceed according to your plans and steps that
are in the best interests of the prospect and not that of the prospect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">6.They
don’t realize that if there is a trust issue in the sales relationship what
will get that to the surface really fast is money. So, don’t wait too long in
the process to bring up the issue of fees, terms, deposits, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a professional way to accomplish
this without referring specifically to the price of your product or service.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
They leave 'will calls' when telephoning a prospect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, if you are trying to sell me
something don’t expect me to do your work for you. Trust me I will guarantee
that fewer than five percent of your ‘will calls’ will ever happen and this
includes less than 1% of your email reach-outs waiting for a response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">8.
They fail to observe and pay attention to early subtle signals given by the
prospect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are focused only on
yourself and your presentation and your product or service – you will miss some
signs or signals during the process that will give you accurate clues as to the
prospect’s real or serious intent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
could go on, but I am sure you get my point. I’ll leave you with a simple
question – are you primarily using the transaction or the process approach?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-73274321034722499362019-10-05T09:50:00.002-07:002019-10-05T09:50:50.552-07:00Are you wasting time & money - training employees?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt;">Are you wasting time &
money - training employees?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Tim<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 21.3333px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 21.3333px;">Connor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Many
organizations that invest in employee development or training are wasting a
great deal of their time and money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t believe me . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>read on!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Do
you know the retention of new material, techniques or ideas after three to four
weeks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it’s around 3%. So, the
next time you send your employees to an all-day seminar and expect performance improvement
that lasts - you are living in La La Land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
have been in the training business for over 35 years and conducted hundreds of
seminars in 26 countries for audiences between 10 and 3500 people and I have
observed hundreds if not thousands of people sitting in seminars while mentally
they were – somewhere else – the entire time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are many factors that determine whether an employee will learn, understand,
embrace and apply new knowledge and skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of these can be controlled by the organization, but many are the
results of an employee’s beliefs, expectations, mindsets, attitudes, and
agendas which can’t be controlled by the training entity whether an outside
outsourced firm or an in-house training department.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Over
the years, as a result of extensive study and research, I have developed a unique
training process and approach that can be described as “curriculum-based
training” rather than short term or transaction-focused development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want your employee investment to have
a positive long-term return the only guaranteed way to accomplish this is by
ensuring that any training initiative or approach takes the participants
completely through this process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Believe
me, you can have the latest and greatest toys, software, products, and
services, but if your employees lack the creativity, initiative, motivation,
skills, attitudes, and empowerment necessary for effective performance - I’ll
guarantee that these resources will be underutilized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are two ways to educate, train or develop employees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-The
transactional approach <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-The
curriculum based approach<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let’s
take a brief look at both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
transactional approach -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
transaction is a single event, a onetime interaction or a short-term
approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me give you an
example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s say you send your
customer service representatives to a half-day seminar on how to improve
customer relations and increase repeat business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These people are exposed to appropriate and
valuable material for a few hours with little interaction or participation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sit there all morning – and learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">After
lunch, they head back to work dealing with many of the routine customer issues
that the training was designed to help them with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now
I ask you, if a person has spent ten, twenty or even only five years developing
mindsets, attitudes, habits, routines, approaches do you think they are going
to permanently change these because of a four-hour seminar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not going to happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
curriculum based process –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
curriculum based process is a longer-term approach where there are ongoing
gradual incremental increases of information that are covered as well as some
form reinforcement, coaching, inspection and/or accountability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let
me give you an example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you took
algebra when you were in high school, how did you learn it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s say after your first 45-minute class on
the topic of algebra the teacher gave you your final exam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you pass?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you learn algebra so that after three
months of classes, three times a week you could pass the final exam?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Goes
like this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Class, homework, next class
two days later you discuss the homework, then new material followed by homework
on the new material. Two days later the process continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three months later, you pass the exam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, let’s apply this to a corporate learning
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">You
send your salespeople to a one-day training seminar on how to close more sales
(the transaction approach) and then send them on their way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might improve their ability to close for
a few days or a couple of weeks, but I’ll guarantee that within a short period
of time they will default back to previous attitudes, approaches, and
techniques. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">See
the difference between these two training approaches? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
curriculum-based approach has four necessary stages if you want to ensure the
success and/or improvement or change in any employee’s attitudes, skills or
behavior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
stages are;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-The
awareness level;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">At
this level of learning, employees have an awareness only of techniques,
tactics, skills, and approaches to be more effective in their roles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, they lack the clarity and
understanding to embrace the learning in a way that will allow them to put the
information into practice in an effective way and for the long term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this level, the behavior will not change,
and you will have essentially wasted corporate resources and the employee’s
time. They will be alert and attentive during any training session but will
lack the knowledge necessary to know how, where, when and why to use this new
information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The awareness level can be
described as sharing information only.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-The
understanding level;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">At
the understanding level, employees get it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They see the relationship between the information they have learned and its
value, but they still lack the ability to apply what they have learned to their
roles and responsibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-The
integration level;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Knowledge
if it is not used, applied or integrated into current mindsets, activities,
responsibilities or approaches is essentially useless information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without a doubt, the biggest challenge in any
training initiative is to ensure that the new learning is used and used
whenever and wherever appropriate for the long term. At this level - learning
must include a variety of activities such as; the customizing of the delivered
material, interactive participation during the training sessions, homework
(take-away activities for participant implementation and testing), ongoing
coaching and inspection by management, holding participants responsible for
implementing new tactics or approaches, management or supervision attends the
learning sessions so they are aware of what the participants are learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-The
mastery level;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mastery
is the highest form of knowledge applied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is where wisdom becomes the standard for learning and skill and
attitude development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mastery occurs
when knowledge becomes wisdom and wisdom is utilized at every opportunity when
the situation or circumstance warrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Very few participants in a typical “transaction” training session for a
number of reasons achieve this level of knowledge or wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally speaking, people who achieve
mastery in their chosen field of endeavor have made mastery their goal and they
have followed through with discipline, persistence, and planning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">That’s
it, folks – so – keep wasting time and money or start using the
“curriculum-based training process” that works and gives you value for your
time and resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PS: If you want more
information on this process – contact me – I have been using this process with
clients for over thirty years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-79816856238090720102019-09-22T11:06:00.003-07:002019-09-22T11:06:43.543-07:00Is your life turning out the way you really, deeply want it to?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is your life turning out the way you <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 107%;">really, deeply want it to?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One evening last month while reading a book by one of my
favorite authors, John Eldredge, titled – “<i>The Journey of Desire</i>”, he
asked me to put the book down for a few minutes and ask myself the following
question – “Will my life ever be what I so deeply want it to be, in a way that
cannot be lost?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, to be honest, it took me more than a minute to
ponder this question. I have been thinking about it for weeks so I started
wondering if other people, when asked the same question would just click past
it instantly or would some folks actually decide that the question deserved
some insightful, enlightened and honest consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, if the question triggers any emotion inside you, I hope
the following will help you take that inner journey in a productive way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t give a rip – have a nice life
and hit the “next” button on your device.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am not using any of John’s material in this article
other than his original question – what follows is my personal take on the
importance of this question and the thoughts, ideas, questions or emotions it might
bring to the surface in you and for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have been on this highway of life for more years than I
often like to admit, and the journey has had its share of amazing opportunities
and successes and devastating and life-changing failures and disappointments.
But as I have traveled from one year to the next, sure I had goals, plans,
dreams, hopes, and desires but many of them they just sort of stayed on the
sidelines as I traveled the world speaking and training audiences in twenty-six
countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In addition - as an author of over seventy-five books
including a million-seller and a few international bestsellers I kept preaching
to others what life was teaching me the good, the bad and the ugly – and again
often not heeding my own wisdom, lessons, and experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So here I sit – asking myself – “Is my life turning out
the way I really, deeply want it to?” And the answer – yes and no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s the no’s that cause the most pain
and even tears. Sure, I’m happy with the yes’s – who wouldn’t be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And just to be clear this article is not a
cathartic release of all of my mistakes and frustrations to earn either your
pity or your scorn, I just want to share the value both short and long term as
well as the potential personal insights that can alter or change the direction
or trajectory of some area of your life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I would like to offer just five quick areas regarding this
question for your consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1)Adversity or a blessing - In life, sooner or later, we
all have to overcome adversity, challenges,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and pain of some kind but we also all have known many blessings, too
many to count in this article, suffice it to say that if you are reading this
you have had more positives than negatives during your life so far, but often
these outcomes can depend on how you choose to define or interpret the idea of
– negative & positive. Regardless of the number of negatives, you may feel
you have experienced I will guarantee you have had far more blessings. So, the
question becomes – have you let any of the negatives get in the way of
achieving or reaching your life desires at this point in your life as you hoped
they would have turned out by now? If so – which ones and why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2)Your response to stuff you didn’t ask for - There are
three ways in life to deal with disappointments, setbacks or failures – accept
them, deny them or learn from them. The first two unfortunately often cause us
to remain stuck in the past, settle for what is rather than what could be, and
many times retreat back to previous safe zones, attitudes or mindsets that will
ensure we never achieve our hopes, desires or dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to keep moving forward is to
accept the reality of life’s problems or challenges as necessary to become
wiser, better or stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And without
this life approach, it is assured that dreams and desires will always be that –
just dreams and desires that you hope one day will show up just because you
showed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry – that’s not the way it
works, and I can say from personal experience that just showing up isn’t
enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3)Do dreams really matter - Sometimes our dreams or
desires are just beyond our reality of what we are willing to pay or sacrifice
or do to have them become real for us. This doesn’t mean we should only dream
for what we feel might be right or possible, but it does mean we need to make
the adjustments necessary, learn the appropriate skills or accept the lack of
success with poise and maturity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4)Who or what can you trust - Sometimes life seems to know
what is better for us in the future than we do. What do I mean by life in the
previous sentence? Life for each of us is a series of accidents, situations,
people, events, and outcomes that we all get.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of these can teach us while others can cause disappointment and
pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some help us grow while others
keep us stuck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As these various
circumstances come into our life whether a flat tire or a new lasting
relationship, a new career or a serious health challenge they give us the
opportunity to do three things – 1a)Learn from them, b)Deny or avoid them and c)Ask
life simply – “what am I supposed to do with this?” In the end we all get inner
guidance regardless of what you want to call it; Devine help, Universal
Consciousness, Hunches, Insight – whatever – in the end life is a teacher and
sends us all kinds of stuff and people to help us learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does this mean life is a “person or God, or
Alien?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Again, call it what you will but
let me ask you – have you ever wondered what to do with a situation or
challenge and you got this inner message and you didn’t follow it and things
got screwed up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever gotten this inner
message and followed it and things worked out in your favor? Well, what was
this inner voice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have a clue
but what I do know is we can trust it or ignore it and which approach do you
think might, in the end, be the best? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5)When it’s over it’s over – We are all given so many
years to yearn, hope, desire, dream, wonder and yes, work, play and yes
experience a wide variety of life outcomes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But in the end how our personal journey progress whether towards our
desires or far from them is a combination of a wide variety of choices,
decisions, actions, beliefs, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s
part of the problem, we don’t have a clue as to where these choices and
decisions will lead us or end up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We
don’t have the slightest knowledge of who we let into our life and who let go
of how these choices will impact us over the long term. In the end, this is a good
life strategy because can you imagine what your life would be like if you could
plan every action, step and choice and control the outcomes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what you are thinking – “yes, I would
love this privilege – I could determine the quality of my life and my destiny.”
But what if your choices were limited by negative emotions or attitudes like
fear, regret or the lack of experience or knowledge or even accurate
information – do you think you could make some wrong moves?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the end, we are all “out of here” at some point so the
real question is – are you living each day doing your best to make the best of
that day or assuming you will fix or change things tomorrow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck with that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, there are other reasons why as time and the years
pass that we fail to achieve the life that we really wanted deep in our Heart
and Soul, but from personal experience, someone who has not achieved the life I
thought in every way one day would be mine, I can<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>admit with humility, gratitude, and honesty
that I have often wished my present would be different and my past would have
had less chaos, dysfunction, and frustration, but I am the one who got me here
and I am the one who made the decisions and choices of the past so like it or
not – blame, finger-pointing and even anger won’t change a thing. As my
daughter is fond of saying, “Dad, it is what it is – deal with it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you hate it when what you teach others
at some point comes back at you from them – or is it just me who has to deal
with this stuff? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-48099122043460243072019-09-14T10:43:00.000-07:002019-09-14T10:43:01.331-07:00Today – what if it was your last one!<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today – what if it was your last one!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know, the
title might sound a bit morbid but think about it, today is the last day for
over 7500 people who live in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add
other countries to the results – and the number is over 150,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WOW – and one of these today – wasn’t you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over 6500 US citizens are currently turning
65 every day . . . are you one of them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, if you are lucky someday you will be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, Tim, where are you going with this
article?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That question after less than
15 seconds of your life is exactly the point I will try and make. So, to save
some of your time so you don’t have to read the entire article since I’m sure
you have better or more important things to browse on your phone or computer .
. . let’s assume for a moment you don’t have another tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, you have had all of your yesterdays but
today is your last day. Will you spend it on your device browsing Facebook,
Twitter, etc.?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you spend it in
front of the TV watching your favorite sports team?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you spend it working out at your local
gym?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you spend it at work earning
money that you will never get to spend? Stupid questions or assumptions? No –
remember I said today is the last one you get here and then it’s . . . . Bye
Bye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, I’ll ask
you one more time, how will you spend today if you knew it was your last one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">OK, now you
can go back to whatever it was you were doing or want to do instead of reading.
For everyone else, I would like you to consider a few basic premises. You can
agree or disagree with any or all of them – your choice:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One – sooner
or later we will be one of the above statistics – we are out of here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two – No one
knows when, how or where it will end for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Three – You
will leave here with some regrets and some unfinished business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Four – It’s
only a matter of time before you and your life will no longer be at the
forefront of</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">other’s lives you left behind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Five – Where
you are headed next will be related to how you lived while you were here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Six – While
here you touched some people in a positive way and others in a negative way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Seven – On
your last day you can’t fix all the mistakes or failures you made while here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eight – You
will never know what legacy you left behind you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll let you
come up with numbers nine and ten . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nine – <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ten –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life is
short and fragile and it’s unfortunate that far too many of us, and I include
myself in this group, wait far too long to fix things, change things, do
things, undo things, etc. And for many of us, we will never have that opportunity,
so I would like to leave you with three quick thoughts: If you knew ahead of
time you were leaving today – 1) what would you try and fix? 2)Who would you
spend your time with and 3) How would you spend your time with them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t wait
too long or put too much stuff off till later– none of us knows the when . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-62091105492036258802019-09-11T11:59:00.000-07:002019-09-11T11:59:01.661-07:00Do you need an encourager in your life?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you need an encouragers in your life?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you need an encourager in your life now? Ever needed
one in the past? Are you an encourager? Just so we are on the same page if you
decide to read this article - an encourager is someone who – guess what – yes,
encourages others. But, is there more to the idea of being an encourager?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, and I know firsthand what role an
encourager can have in our life when we are heading in the wrong direction,
hitting bottom or just feel like no one cares. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During my years I have had many occasions when I was in
desperate need of encouragement rather than invalidation. And, on some
occasions, these people showed up and, on many occasions, I was left alone to
navigate life’s challenges, trials, adversity and failures alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have learned both the hard way and the easy
way the importance of having encouragers in our lives when we need them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How about you – ever had to deal with a life issue alone
and no one was in your corner or maybe even no one who cared? I can tell you if
you have never been there that these times can be very trying life
circumstances that can stretch us to our limits of faith, patience, hope, and
belief forcing us to reach deep and find something we didn’t even know we had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the role of an encourager?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Encouragers are not in our lives to pave the way forward
so that we can aimlessly wander through life’s circumstances, lessons and
challenges without effort, learning, fear or even guaranteed success.
Encouragers are teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They are
caring and compassionate souls who want to help us learn life’s lessons with as
little pain and trauma as possible but they are not in our lives to help us
avoid what life wants and needs us to learn so we can be productive humans
regardless of our roles, responsibilities or opportunities. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Encourages can
cheer us on, root for us and listen to our concerns and needs but their role is
not to remove the learning from our lives that is necessary to master so we can
grow and become productive in whatever fashion we have chosen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Encouragers don’t remove the pain or drama from our life,
but they help us to find the inner courage, belief, and resilience to handle
it, manage it, overcome it and yes learn from it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Who can be an encourager?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Encouragers can be family, friends, co-workers, customers
and even total strangers. I can recall years ago sitting in an airport waiting
to board a flight when I was having a conversation with a total stranger. <i>FYI
– ever had one of those – where you shared intimate inner fears, dreams, plans,
hopes or frustrations with a total stranger who you knew you would never see
again?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happens all the time and
why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all need times to share, express
and cathart and if we don’t have people in our routine lives who can fill this role,
we will reach out to anyone and everyone from time to time</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back to my example – I shared with them the frustration of
dealing with a challenging client that I had been working with for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They listened respectfully as I went on for
what seemed forever, and they finally asked a simple question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why are you tolerating this behavior and not
just cutting the cord and moving on?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is not what I thought I wanted to hear or felt I needed to hear but
it was what they chose to share, and you know what – in reality, it was exactly
what I needed to hear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I could have shared this with a spouse at the time or a
few good friends and peers but was unable to admit the frustration to them so I
just kept it bottled up inside me to the detriment of other relationships and
activities in my life that kept deteriorating due to my lack of ability or
willingness to address the issue. Finally, with the help of a total stranger, I
was able to move one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ever been there? How about family, friends and even
neighbors who from time to time are needed to help us weather life's storms?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How can we handle stuff when we don’t have an encouraged
in our life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Trials, tribulations, adversity, disappointment, failure,
etc. are all a normal part of living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
deny them is to be naive and immature. So, what are we to do when they strike
with or without warning? There are dozens of ways to manage life’s negative
circumstances and while some are more efficient than others many can be a waste
of time, energy and even resources. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Enter the encourager, someone who can help you, support
you, believe in you, teach you, encourage you and care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one likes going through adversity alone
especially when we are unable to see clearly the resources, solutions or
answers that are obvious and right in front of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">No one wants to feel abandoned or without someone who
cares when life’s negatives show up on our doorstep. We all need emotional
support from time to time regardless of our age, gender, financial status or
education.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Without encouragers in our lives during challenging times
we will tend to overreact, fall into depression, feel hopeless, make dumb
decisions or just isolate ourselves from the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Encouragers are an important part of our lives and believe
me having gone through many negative life experiences alone I treasure a few of
the encouragers I have had during my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Thant you – each and every one of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What does it take to be an encourager for others?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll keep this final question short and to the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be an encourager you need some or many of the
following traits, characteristics, attitudes, beliefs, values, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-You care about the influence you have on others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-You believe in the value of the human spirit in others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-You do not have a selfish bone in your body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-You always put others ahead of yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You have a giving spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You want to leave a legacy of service.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You have the ability, to be honest even when the message
might be perceived as negative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You have healthy self-esteem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You don’t need the approval of others to feel personal
value.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You are a listener.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">- You do not have personal agendas whole encouraging others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes there are many others but these are a few of the
basics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Got any of these traits?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-1693257906582480862019-09-11T11:58:00.005-07:002019-09-11T11:58:44.084-07:00The path of least resistance.<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">The path of least
resistance.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Have
you ever noticed that at certain times of your life everything seems to flow
smoothly and easily – you are in the groove, while at other times, no matter
what you do or don’t do, how hard to try or how long you strive, everything
just falls apart while you watch in amazement as life seems to deteriorate
while you are getting what you don’t feel or believe you deserve or have asked
for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
know that feeling, folks – I have been in both places many times during my life.
Getting in the groove is a wonderful place to be, and spending time in a rut is
just not fun or rewarding and often humiliating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
are a few of the causes, symptoms, results, negative consequences, feelings,
attitudes and benefits of both? That’s a book but let me share just a few quick
points. Yes, there can be benefits to being in a rut, and yes, there can be negative
consequences to being in the groove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
path of least resistance doesn’t mean:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you sit around and wait for your ship to come in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you hope someone else will deliver success/happiness to your doorstep<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
success will come because you have worked hard all of your life up to this point<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you are guaranteed whatever you want because you were born with the right genes
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">or environment</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you are guaranteed success because you were born into the right family <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you will easily get everything you want because you just deserve it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
no bumps in the road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
everything has to be perfect every time, every relationship and even every day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
path of least resistance does mean:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
life is more fulfilling when you do what you love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
life is more fun & rewarding when you control your emotions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you will achieve more if you know what you want<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you will achieve your dreams if you never give in or quit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you roll just as easily with the curves as you do the straight-aways<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
you enjoy the trip one day at a time or even one minute at a time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
your outcomes are not just up to you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Are
you in the groove right now, or are you struggling to get out of a rut or hole?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Regardless,
learn that every obstacle, plateau, bump in the road, achievement, failure, or
success is not about what is happening - but what you are learning from it and
how you are growing because of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
you are in a rut today: ask yourself – how did I get here and what can I learn
while I am here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
you are in the groove today: ask yourself – how did I get here and what can I
learn while I am here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Get
it, regardless of the circumstances or consequences you are experiencing now - the
lesson is the same; life is about learning, growing, becoming and giving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not about selfishness, narcissism,
control, taking and thinking or believing you are ever the smartest person in
the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
the end, life is here to teach us what it wants us to learn while we are taking
the journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is very patient and will
keep sending us teachers; people, events, circumstances, challenges, problems and
yes achievements until we finally – get it – we are here to learn – not; whine,
brag, complain or act like the world owes us anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">So
if you are in the groove – learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
are in a rut – learn.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-31525333730751272232019-09-05T11:26:00.000-07:002019-09-05T11:26:12.321-07:00Are your sales reults not living up to your expectations? There are five basic reasons . . . <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are your sales results not living up
to your expectations?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are five basic reasons . . .<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are
many reasons why sales effort, a lot of time, allocation of many resources,
planning and so much more can still lead to slow and even poor sales
results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having been observing and
teaching sales strategies and practices around the world for over thirty-five
years and witnessing numerous stupid as well as genius tactics used by
individuals and organizations I believe there are five basic reasons why sales
decline or are in a slump regardless of the economy, industry, consumer desires,
and competitive philosophies, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many sales
trainers and sales experts might suggest that it’s just poor execution of Sales
101 – prospecting skills, poor presentation skills or the inability to
effectively disarm objections and close sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although all of these traditional sales methodologies are important, I
believe that even if you have all of these and lack the following five you will
never achieve sustained increased sales results and income. I’ll keep this
simple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here are the
five reasons –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-A lack of
consistent execution of a proven process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-Reliance on
a single marketing approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-Poor
product/service messaging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-Over or
underuse of specific communication techniques.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-A lack of
execution integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-A lack
of consistent execution of a proven process</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To achieve
sustained and lasting success a process is required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t matter if it’s cooking in the
kitchen, operating in the hospital or building on a construction site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wherever you see success I will guarantee
there is a process that is consistently being followed to ensure positive
results.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The sales
process is no different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If one minute
you are selling this way and the next minute you are selling differently - I
will guarantee you will get inconsistent results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me give you a quick example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let’s say
you have a prospect who needs and wants your product or service and you have
been trained to sell it a certain way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But you have decided because this person seems more available or
affinitive to you - you decide to adjust your approach and get a bit more
friendly than normal, open or whatever – as a result, you create a different
sales environment that deviates from your standard approach – one you are
unfamiliar with and one the prospect may feel is a bit forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have abandoned your process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you
shouldn’t tailor your sales message to the style or interests of each prospect,
what I’m saying is if and when you abandoned proven sales techniques,
strategies, and approaches for something new or different you will get less
than historical proven positive outcomes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m not
implying that any or all processes are successful or the best approach or that
any process should not be open to change, improvement and updating. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I don’t want my heart surgeon sticking
with the process when it’s his or her instincts to adjust or adapt but I do
want them to stick with protocols when situations or circumstances warrant it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you don’t
have and stick with a proven sales process, I will guarantee you live with a
great deal of frustration, uncertainty, unknowns, disappointment and even
regret from time to time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-Reliance
on a single marketing approach</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, you
need a website if you want to succeed and compete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, you need to do Public Relations from
time to time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, advertising can help
your sales efforts. Yes, emails are necessary occasionally and yes, you also need
to pick up the phone once in a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Get it – You need a successful blending process when it comes to
marketing and its support and endorsement of your sales efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When sales
efforts rely on a single marketing approach, they will achieve fewer positive
responses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When sales activity is not
foreshadowed with some market exposure or not supported by follow-up activity
you are relying only on the efforts of the sales effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get better and more consistent positive
results from any sales actions it is a wise move to have both pre and post-sales
activity that reinforces the basic fundamental sales message and customer
benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about it – if
salesperson A shows up for an appointment to sell – whatever – and the prospect
has never heard of his or her organization or product or service – they have got
a lot of work to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When salesperson B
shows up for their appointment and the prospect viewed one billboard, heard one
radio ad and read one ad on a website they were searching prior to the sales
meeting – which of the two appointments do you think will tend to have a better
chance of success?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-Poor
product/service messaging.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you
ever watched a product or service commercial and when it was finished you were
shaking your head thinking – “what was that all about?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I have - almost every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how some of these stupid ads
make it past management but someone needs to wake them up- they are stupid and
don’t do the product or service justice. No, I’m not going to site-specific
examples as I’m sure you have seen, read or heard your share of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to point out that if your
messaging is confusing, contradictory or can be perceived or interpreted as
negative or derogatory in any way it will not contribute to your sales success
in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-Over or
underuse of specific communication techniques.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Technology
wants us to believe that the only way to sell to people today is with social
media, emails or the latest Techno Whiz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, these are important and can often be an integral part of lifestyle
today but let me assure you “word of mouth” has not lost its impact on the
buying public or process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the average
customer has a negative product or service experience, research tells us - they
will, on average, tell 9 people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And, those
9 people on average will tell five people and this process just continues on
and on – so let me ask you how many people over time do you think will get that
negative message and how much money do you need to spend on promotion and
advertising to counteract this negative exposure?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just ask any
organization that has lost customers, market share, and even gone belly-up due
to negative press and I’m not talking about “fake news” and in hindsight, they
will admit they failed to anticipate the negative consequences due to this
negative experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you think
you are going to hit a home run every time with a campaign of a new product or
service relying only on your investment in technology exposure - you are living
in “fantasy Land”. I can hear some of you now, “NO, Tim you are living in
“Denial-Land” and just don’t get it – how people are buying today.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, you are not listening – I didn’t say you
didn’t need to use these media sources to improve sales, I said you need to not
rely ONLY on them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">-A lack
of execution integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Talk is
cheap today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People seem to throw
commitments, promises and so many other things at customers, clients, friends,
and even family members that in some ways they hope will happen, but are never
100% sure they will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever left a
message for a supplier who said they would get back to you in 24 hours and
after a week, you still hadn’t heard from them? Ever have someone tell you they
will meet you for; lunch, a meeting, coffee at a certain time and twenty
minutes later they finally showed up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ever been promised a refund by a supplier who said it would only take 24
hours and after a few days you are still waiting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough examples – I could give you
thousands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The common thread in all of
them is a lack of integrity. There are far too many reasons and contributors to
this issue in today’s sales (and general relationship) environment so let me just
cover one simple concept – does this lack of consistency, integrity or
commitment in your opinion, contribute to; poor customer loyalty, poor customer
relations, poor repeat business, poor references and/or referrals, poor word of
mouth and just a poor reputation in general?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you want
to avoid any of these “poor” issues (outcomes, results, consequences) – it’s
simple - here are five things to consider (yes there are many more) – 1) start
meaning what you say and saying what you mean. 2)Stop making excuses – just do
it. 3)If you can’t do it or are not sure whether it will happen – don’t promise
it. 4)If circumstances that are beyond your control cause a promise or
commitment to not be delivered – fix it quickly. And 5) Learn from your
communication mistakes. Stop repeating the same stupid behaviors that are doing
nothing to improve your image and sales results whether as an individual or an
organization!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-79283428887696729942019-09-02T09:45:00.003-07:002019-09-02T09:45:45.792-07:00How is your corporate "self-image"?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Corporate
self-image.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Tim Connor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">One
of the critical factors for success in any endeavor is a healthy and positive
self-image. Essentially a person’s self-image will determine:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-how
they respond to life's circumstances<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-how
they view the world around them<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-what
goals they set for themselves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-how
they react to failure and adversity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-how
they feel about themselves and others<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-how
they behave when no one is looking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-how
they handle difficult situations<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">-their
destiny and much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">All
organizations are made up of groups of individuals (departments, subsidiaries,
branches, etc.) who have an individual – group - self-images and therefore as a
group tends to create what I refer to in my management seminars as an
'organizational self-image'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
group self-image can, over time, contribute to how each group, department, etc.
as a whole tends to define itself and therefore act, behave, decide, etc. This
combined self-image over time can cause organizations to excel or fail in the
same way it causes an individual to succeed or fail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">For
example, if a group of employees in a customer service department sees
themselves as unimportant and unappreciated - the department, in general, will
tend to, over time, treat customers in much the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there may be select individuals who
treat customers with respect and concern, but in general the department as a
whole, because of its low self-image, will treat most customers poorly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
the management team in an organization, for whatever reason(s), is not in sync
with other departments and its direction, goals, decisions, philosophy,
communication, etc. due to individual or group low self-esteem, it will create
confusion, dysfunction, chaos, a lack of harmony, very little employee
empowerment and poor performance among its employees throughout the
organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s called “culture
response”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
the members of a sales team feel that they are unnecessary, constantly under
pressure to perform with little or no positive reinforcement or appreciation or
are perceived by other departments or senior management as nothing, but
arrogant trouble makers, the individual self-image of the members of the group,
over time, will become the 'group' self-image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As
an example, one of the outcomes of this 'group self-mage' is often the same as
in the list of consequences listed above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One common sales outcome in this issue could be where the sales group's
approach to price resistance is generally to reduce price rather than sell
value thereby contributing to low corporate margins and profits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I'll
leave you with a few questions to consider - What is your overall corporate
self-image?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you believe is the
general corporate self-image of your major departments? What are the ultimate
consequences either positive or negative that you are experiencing as a result
of these various self-images?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What or
who is contributing or re-enforcing this corporate self-image or department
self-image?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes,
there are many more questions I could ask but hopefully these have triggered
your thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
closing, as I have studied many organizations, around the world, that have both
failed and succeeded over the years, with the purpose of learning what messages
I needed to bring to management in my training programs – the single biggest
issue in all of them was improving their corporate self-image.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-70525752559185056132019-08-20T11:48:00.005-07:002019-08-20T11:48:58.416-07:00Have you written your Obituaty yet?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you written your Obituary yet?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know the
title might sound morbid – but give me three minutes before you decide to move
on to your next task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to keep
this short and to the point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life here is
temporary regardless of your financial position, fame, age, reputation, gender,
and education – plus many others - so the question is when you leave here and
some person is appointed to read your obituary will it be something they wrote,
a total stranger wrote, a loved one wrote or you wrote? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me
explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If someone
else, regardless of their relationship to you, writes and reads it - it will be
their take on your life regardless of the number of years you had or how long they
knew you and your accomplishments or who you really were and why.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let’s
say a sibling writes it - would it be different than if a spouse or one of your
kids wrote it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about if a close
friend was chosen to fulfill the task – what would they say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about a business partner, boss or even a
long-term loyal client or customer – and they would say . . . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The question
really is – how do you want to be remembered regardless of who writes or reads
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to be remembered by your
status, personality, successes, attitudes or some other trait or action that
you shared with the world while you were here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Keep in mind we are asking someone to summarize your many years and
activities, relationships and deeds into a 200-300-word document that may end
up in the local newspaper for a day or on the internet for a week and then –
POOF – over!<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let me
ask you – let’s assume the reading will be this week (again not trying to be
morbid, just trying to keep your attention). And it doesn’t matter who reads it
because you are the one that wrote it and left it for someone to share with
whoever was present at your special event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What does it
say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it short or long?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it positive or negative? Is it honest or
is there a lot of stuff that’s not really true? Is it complimentary or
sarcastic? Is it memorable or will people forget who you are before their next
meal that day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tough
questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sad questions? Real
questions? It’s up to you and not because of what you wrote but because that is
how you lived that contributed to what you were able to write.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">So, let me
ask you five really tough questions –</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the central theme of the
document?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Who do you want to read it and why
them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you want them to stay on script or
adlib?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What impact do you want it to have on
the recipients?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And finally, when people hear it do you want them to; laugh, cry, smile,
leave the room halfway through it (just thought I would throw that one in for
laughs) or stand and clap and scream - Halleluiah. . .</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">No one knows
when their special day will happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
one knows what tomorrow will look like, and no one knows how or where their
journey ends and what they will leave behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What we do know is how we choose to live each day and how we want to
touch those around us and how our actions, attitudes, decisions, and behaviors
touch the lives of people we know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
can hope we will be remembered with respect, compassion, love, and smiles but
we won’t really ever know for sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, I’ll
leave you with one of my life “mantras” – touch the lives you touch each day in
a way that when you walk away or hit the end call button that the person you
have spent time with – whether a minute or the entire day or your entire life –
when asked about you will smile and say – “they were a special part of my life
and I liked life and me more when I was with them”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-89489016894894254332019-08-04T10:35:00.001-07:002019-08-04T10:35:16.024-07:00Are you where you want to be in your life?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are
you - where you want to be in your life?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you where you want to be in life – financially, health-wise,
relationships or your career? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silly
question? I don’t think so. I’ve asked myself this question dozens of
times during my life and I have to admit more often than not the answer to one
of the life areas was – no.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In life, you can only be one of three places (I’m being
general here) – where you were or have been, where you are now and where you
will be in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this might
at first seem a bit confusing but think about it – for example - where are you
now – in your car, your office your kitchen or backyard – these are the simple questions.
Where do you want to be tomorrow (in life) the hard questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To have this approach work for you in a
constructive way - keep the broader topics in mind generally and don’t get into
the weeds about every single life area – just consider the bigger picture of
your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example in the future - you want to be with someone or
with someone different, you want to be working somewhere else or retired, you
want to be better off financially or you want to rid yourself of this current
negative health condition that is plaguing you now – yes there are hundred’s
more questions like these – I used these to keep the process but not
necessarily the results – simple.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, here’s the challenge. You will ultimately be tomorrow where
today is taking you - so if you want to be somewhere different in the future,
you have to take the action to get there - today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fail to take it and tomorrow you will be in
the same place you are now – and again to be clear - I’m not talking here about
whether you are in your car or in the kitchen, I’m confident if you are still
reading you have figured out the subtleties I am trying to share here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, where do you want to be that’s a different place tomorrow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go ahead take a minute and jot down a few
items like – better or different; job, relationship, where you live, what you
drive, who your friends are, how healthy you are, your financial condition- go
ahead – write them down – as many as you can (I’m not talking here about
setting goals, creating dreams or making plans) - trust me you can’t get there
if you are not clear about where “there” is. And why – well if you don’t know
what you want them to be tomorrow - do you think the chances are that things
will change or be different tomorrow than they are today? Dumb question – I
know!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will guarantee that everyone wants something better, new
or different tomorrow in some area of their life – to be younger, to be with
different people, to be healthier, to be living someplace new, to look better,
to be happier, to be ___________, etc. Whether it’s a small difference or a
major one is not the issue – what is the issue – is your willingness to either
let go of the wish, goal, plan or desire – essentially give up or settle - OR
to take the necessary moves or steps or make the necessary changes today to get
there or to start to make it happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do people wish for something better or different and
then do nothing to get there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do
they settle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do they give up or in?
Why do they quit? I could go on for hours or pages but how about just three (yes
there are many more) quick reasons; 1) The fear of the unknown future – will it
really be better or different or should I just stay where I am? Can I control
the future? What if it doesn’t turn out the way I hoped? 2)The fear of
rejection or failure – what if I try and don’t succeed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if I go for it and people laugh at me
for doing so at this stage or time in my life? 3)The fear of success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if I do go for it and get it or achieve
it and it doesn’t live up to my expectations or needs? What if my life changes
in a way I didn’t anticipate?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s the major problem that you are facing if you have
any of these three fears – you are tending to define your future by your past
or present; experiences, attitudes, outcomes, choices, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, you have always struggled
financially so why expect that the future will be any different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have always been disappointed in
relationships so why should you anticipate that the future will be better or
different? Everyone, you know in your age group, gender, race, religion, etc.
has never done what you want to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, why
try. Got it – with these mindsets you are letting the decisions or choices of
others or your past rule your ultimate future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one knows what is around the next corner regardless of whether
you are broke or a millionaire, stupid or the smartest person in the room, healthy
or really sick, beautiful or handsome or ugly as sin, etc. No one knows how
actions, choices, decisions or anything will always be or turn out tomorrow. It’s all about desire, faith, courage,
passion, effort, and acceptance and yes – resilience, self-trust, patience, and
hope. If you don’t have these – stay
stuck. If you have them - go for it.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-47621792449732584842019-08-02T11:36:00.001-07:002019-08-02T11:36:05.229-07:00Are you where you want to be in life?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are
you - where you want to be in life?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you where you want to be in life – financially, health-wise,
relationships or your career? Silly
question? I don’t think so. I’ve asked myself this question dozens of
times during my life and I have to admit more often than not the answer to one
of the life areas was – no.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In life, you can only be one of three places (I’m being
general here) – where you were or have been, where you are now and where you
will be in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this might
at first seem a bit confusing but think about it – for example - where are you
now – in your car, your office your kitchen or backyard – the simple answers.
Where do you want to be tomorrow – the hard answers – because here’s where it
can get a bit tricky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, keep this question
in mind generally - don’t get into the weeds about every single life area –
just consider the bigger picture of your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For example in the future - you want to be with someone or someone
different, you want to be working somewhere else or retired, you want to be
better off financially or you want to rid yourself of this current negative
health condition that is plaguing you now – yes there are hundred’s more
questions like these – I used these to keep the process but not necessarily the
results – simple.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s the challenge. You will ultimately be where today
takes you - so if you want to be somewhere different tomorrow you have to take
the action to get there - today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fail to
take it and tomorrow you will be in the same place you are now – and again to
be clear - I’m not talking here about whether you are in your car or the
kitchen, I’m confident if you are still reading you have figured out the
subtleties I am trying to share.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, where do you want to be that’s a different place tomorrow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go ahead take a minute and jot down a few
items like – better or different; job, relationship, where you live, what you
drive, who your friends are, how healthy you are, your financial condition- go
ahead – write them down – as many as you can - trust me you can’t get there if
you are not clear about where “there” is. And why – well if you don’t know what
they are what do you think the chances are they things will change or be
different tomorrow than they are today?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will guarantee that everyone wants something better, new
or different tomorrow in some area of their life – to be younger, to be with
different people, to be living someplace new, etc. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether it’s a small
difference or a major one is not the issue – what is the issue – is your
willingness to either let go of the wish, goal, plan or desire – essentially
give up or settle - OR to take the necessary moves or steps today to get there
or to start to make it happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do people wish for something better or different and
then do nothing to get there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do
they settle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do they give up or in?
Why do they quit? I could go on for hours or pages but how about just three (yes
there are many more) quick reasons; 1) The fear of the unknown future – will it
really be better or different or should I just stay where I am? Can I control
the future? What if it doesn’t turn out the way I hoped? 2)The fear of
rejection or failure – what if I try and don’t succeed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if I go for it and people laugh at me
for doing so at this stage or time in my life? 3)The fear of success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if I do go for it and get it or achieve
it and it doesn’t live up to my expectations or needs?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s the major problem that you are facing if you have
any of these three fears – you are tending to define your future by your past
or present; experiences, attitudes, outcomes, choices, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, you have always struggled
financially so why expect that the future will be any different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have always been disappointed in
relationships so why should you anticipate that the future will be better or
different? Everyone, you know in your age group, gender, race, religion, etc.
has never done what you want to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got
it – with these mindsets you are letting the decisions or choices of others or
your past rule your ultimate future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one knows what is around the next corner whether you
are broke or a millionaire, stupid or the smartest person in the room, healthy
or really sick, beautiful or handsome or ugly as sin, etc. No one knows how
actions, choices, decisions or anything will be or turn out tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all about desire, faith, courage,
passion, effort, and acceptance and yes – resilience, self-trust, patience, and
hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t have these – stay
stuck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have them - go for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-919973472575101002019-07-29T14:06:00.001-07:002019-07-29T14:06:07.319-07:00Brokenness - a blessing or a curse?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Brokenness-
a blessing or a curse?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever experienced brokenness? Not sure how to
define brokenness? Doing whatever you can to avoid being broken? Just to be clear - I’m not referring here to
your broken toilet, car or computer – I’m talking about your spirit, your
relationships, your career or even your life. If you don’t like where you think
this article is headed do yourself a favor and go back to your – whatever, but
if you have ever experienced brokenness of any kind, my hope is to help you
grow from it, learn from it and pass through it with dignity, courage, faith
and yes even speed if that is possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, first – what is brokenness? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From my perspective and trust me I have been broken
several times during my life (if that admission causes you to stop reading –
believe me that doesn’t surprise me – I’ve watched a lot of people walk out of my
life because they found out I wasn’t perfect) – where was I - OH, brokenness
can be defined differently by everyone who has experienced being broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some would say it’s devastating, others
lonely, still others painful and uncertain and many – not what I expected or
what I feel I deserved in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, what is it – well from my perspective it’s when life
doesn’t give you what you planned for, hoped for or desired when it comes to
your goals, expectations, desires or dreams?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is when some aspect of life falls apart in some way – financially, in
your health, your career or an important relationship. It’s when you feel you
have nowhere to turn for help, guidance, support or even someone who will just
listen and care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why does life break us or try to break us every now and
then?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life is not the enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It isn’t out to get us, destroy us or makes fail or experience
pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But life is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, life contains a wide variety
of potential positives and negatives and it does not discriminate or pick on
any particular individual or group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh,
please don’t start going into all of the stuff that humanity has done wrong
over the centuries – I get it - but that’s not the intent of this article – I
don’t care if you are female or male, old or young white or black, Christian or
Jew, rich or poor, ugly or good looking or any other group that has been
persecuted in the past. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first thing we all must do is decide how we choose to
define these two concepts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you
define negative?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you define
positive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you have this out of the
way you will have your first clue as to what brokenness is and, in your life,
now or has been in the past. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life is not picking on anyone but there are consequences
to all actions, choices, decisions, attitudes and behaviors and these are
nothing more than the natural ebb and flow of life as it unfolds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do or say something stupid and sooner or
later you may have to pay a price.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can be the causes or contributors of brokenness?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I said above there can be literally thousands of
contributors to brokenness, but I have learned there are a few common
denominators. Here are just a few. Arrogance, out of control egos, stubbornness,
uncontrolled anger, hate or any other destructive and ill-placed emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Impatience and the need for control can also
contribute to certain areas of brokenness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And let’s not forget narcissism, selfishness, and just plain stupidity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do these contribute to a broken life is some way?
Here’s just one example.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A personality-driven by self-orientation, ego, and narcissism
over time can drive people away from you in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this behavior continues - one day you may
wake up and realize that you are alone without friends who care, family who
wants to be around you and even strangers who turn their back on you. And the
consequences – well it depends on how you react to traveling through life
completely alone – for many this can be a devastating life position. There are
literally thousands if not millions of ways that each of us responds to life
stuff and decide whether we are going to let it break us or build us up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can we do while in the middle of brokenness?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This too is a choice – we can grow or withdraw, we can learn,
or we can blame, we can get wiser or we can retreat, we can reach out to others
or we can isolate ourselves even more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The response often will come back to your definition of positive and
negative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can hear some of you now –
how can something obviously negative be positive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, can being broke (obviously negative) be
positive? Can divorce (obviously negative) be positive? Can a heart attack
(again obviously negative be positive)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, friends, I’ve been through all three and my answer is – yes, they
can be positive if I chose to define them that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can hear even more of you “are you crazy?”
Well, if seeing these as opportunities to get smarter, wiser, better, etc. then
yes, I am crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can we learn from times of brokenness?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me close with a couple of simple ideas if you are in
brokenness now or want to handle it if and when it comes into your life in the
future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"> How
you choose to define broken says a great deal about how you will experience
what has come into your life.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> How
you let broken define you will determine how long you stay broken and how well and
fast you recover.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Going
through anything in life alone is stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Find someone who cares and reach out to them and share, learn from them
and don’t hide your pain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Keep
the negative idiots out of your circle and out of your life if necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing you need is more people
pointing fingers at you, blaming you or not helping you learn something from
your circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Learn
to be there for others when they are in need.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> You
have been broken for a reason – discover it so you can learn from it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Read,
Read, Read – as much as you can to learn as much as you can.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Accept
surrender as a positive approach rather than negative.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> All
brokenness happens for a reason whether it’s timing, details or circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 107%;"> And
finally – broken does not equal; stupid, failure, or denial but it can be
related to these and other attitudes, choices, and decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-3008032160046866432019-07-27T10:30:00.003-07:002019-07-27T10:30:38.898-07:00Take your Life Score Quiz Today <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Your
Life Score©<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every
year in July I take my “Life Score Quiz” to see how I am doing – improving,
getting worse etc. Thought I would share it with you this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to share it with friends, family,
co-workers or anyone you feel might benefit from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>PS: it is Copyrighted material so I am
giving you permission to use it not sell it, or take credit for it etc</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why not
give yourself a current life score rating on the following major<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">life
areas. (1 = Sucks - - - 10 = Perfect).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Health:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fun:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Career:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Social:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finance:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Relationships:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Spiritual:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Family:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wisdom:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Physical<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>_____<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Your Total
Score: _______<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rating
scale: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">90-100 –
Are you really that good?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">70-90 –
Looks like you have some work to do.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">50-70 –
It’s never too late to change or begin again.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Below 50
– Are you really that bad?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Copyright:
Tim Connor, Global Speaker & Trainer <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-54192182047459371292019-07-20T10:44:00.003-07:002019-07-20T10:44:32.886-07:00Good days or bad days . . . and a lot in breween.<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Good
days or bad days . . . . and a lot in between!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ever had a bad day . . . a good one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had more bad ones than good ones in a week or
month?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had more good ones in a year than
you feel you deserved?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dumb questions?
Well, trust me I have a lot more, but I’ll save them for another time but let
me ask you two more . . . How do you define good and bad? And, in the end,
which ones helped you grow, learn, become or contribute more to others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More dumb questions? I don’t think so but I’m
writing this article so the real answers are up to you, but I would ask you to finish
reading before you decide on your answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So here goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What’s a good day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, today - you got a raise, didn’t get a flat tire, had
lunch with friends, had a wonderful date night with your spouse, got a text
from your Doc. and he said you have a clean bill of health and the good stuff
just kept on coming – all in all – a good day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What’s a bad day? You got bad news from your dentist, the
AC in your car crashed, you lost your favorite – whatever – your kids got in
trouble in school and yes, so much more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let me ask you - who or what is in charge or in control
of your day – you or the stuff that happens during the day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, when good stuff happens you
have a good day and when bad stuff happens, well it’s a bad day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See where I’m going with this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the stuff that happens determines whether
your day is a good one or a bad one – you are not in control of your day – your
day (the stuff that happens) is in control of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s the bigger problem – the same could be said of
weeks, months or even years. Are you having a good year or a bad one? Are you
having a good life or a bad one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean
I could go on and on with this crap but I’m sure you have got it by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I’m asking is as you go through life, no
matter how long or short it is or what happens or what doesn’t or what you get
or what you lose, etc. – who or what is in control?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My observations over the years having spoken on 25
countries and met thousands of people around the world is simply that the
majority of people are not in control of their days, oh if you asked them all,
they think they are and would say they are, but watch how they react or respond
to the stuff that happens throughout the day or week, etc. and then ask
yourself the simple question – who or what do you think is in control of their
life? A better question is which is in control of your days/life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s a thought – stop labeling your days as good or bad,
just be glad you got another one cause do you know how many people die every
day in this world – well it's over 150,000 - you weren’t one of them today so –
today is a good day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s another thought – generally we learn little from
the good days or good stuff that happens on what we call good days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the perceived bad days, events,
situations, people or circumstances that we call or define as bad that often
give us the greatest opportunities for faster growth, new learning, new creative
ideas or solutions, and overall increased wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, consider that the bad days, in the end,
might actually be better than the good days – what an amazing concept – but you
might want to keep it to yourself as sharing it with others – well, they might
think you have gone off the deep end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-2027400291147858682019-07-13T07:20:00.000-07:002019-07-13T07:20:01.730-07:00Everything in life is a choice . . . <br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Everything
in life is a choice. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Made any decisions today? Had to make some difficult choices
today? Come on . . . we all make dozens
of choices and decisions every day (X) 365 days so - that’s thousands of
choices every year. Do they all matter? Are
they all insignificant? Are they all life-changing or life-threatening? And just
a few more quick questions – why do we make them, what are the contributors, what
are some of the consequences, would we like some do-overs if we could have them? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, so many tough yet often seemingly insignificant life
questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever spent time, I mean a lot
of time, considering or re-evaluating previous decisions or choices?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever spent too much time choosing, wondering
or even stuck on what you should or shouldn’t do and why or why not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever wish you had?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, Tim, enough with the questions – what’s your point?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, I have your attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything in life is a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, some outcomes or circumstances are the
results of indirect choices while others the consequence of direct ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the difference – keep reading I’ll
explain. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are three elements to all choices regardless of
whether it’s what you are ordering for lunch at your favorite restaurant or who
you should marry, or should you take this job offer or not, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day we make a lot of choices some
conscious and most without conscious awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the three elements – First) Rating the decision
or choice in terms of pressure, timeliness, needed action or is procrastination
and is waiting acceptable. Second) Do I have other options or am I stuck with
just this one choice? Third) Do I know either the short- or long-term
consequences or outcomes if and when I make a certain choice?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, there are many more things to consider when choosing,
but generally, these three are the critical ones that need and yes deserve adequate
attention and consideration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
consider for a moment the unconscious or what I refer to as automatic
choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are often simple things
that happen all day every day. How you get dressed, what you wear, how you
drive to work, how you greet strangers, having another cigarette or glass of
wine, checking your emails a hundred times a day, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These just happen and you generally don’t
think about them – you just do them or make them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, the bigger ones like – should I call that client back
or send them an email, should I bring up this difficult topic with my boss or
let it go, should I take what someone said personally or just disregard it. Should
I discuss this with my spouse now or wait for a better time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there are so many more of these as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, consider for a minute - that the majority of choices
are automatic (unconscious) and as time progresses more and more everyday choices
get tossed into that “auto” batch holder so that you don’t have to spend as
much time in conscious awareness as you live each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you get there my friends, trust me, it is
a very dangerous place to be in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When you make too many choices in “auto-pilot” sooner or later you are
going to regret many of the choices, actions or decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just as a thought – if a large percentage of cars and
trucks on the road are being driven by computers and not people – do you think
at some point this could be a problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
even heard there is an airline considering “pilotless” planes – don’t know
about you, but I would never get on one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, back to my point, how about a few specifics regarding
the choices we make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep in mind you
might disagree with my premises or items included – it’s OK.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Direct choices – These are outcomes that are directly
related to your choices, behaviors, decisions and/or actions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indirect choices – These are outcomes that are the result
of a combination of your actions, choices, decision, etc. that are caused by
nature, life or others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Loneliness is a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Failure is a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happiness is
a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success is a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guilt is a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Resentment is a choice. Being late is a
choice. Being overweight is a choice. Being out of shape is a choice. Anger is
a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, I know – you might
believe that some of these might not always be a choice you can make but due to
a consequence, situation or person that you couldn’t control – well – yes, no
and maybe so let’s consider it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s just take three – loneliness, failure, guilt. . .<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Loneliness – Loneliness tends to be a negative
circumstance in someone's life and is generally a consequence – yes of many
factors. Then there is aloneness – this is a choice to be alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there is solitude - this is a choice to
be alone where you want to use the time for growth, learning, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last two are positive choices and the
first one is usually a negative one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whether due to separation (direct or indirect choice – either a choice
made by you, your spouse or mutually), the death of a loved one (indirect
choice – you had no control over their passing), divorce or some other loss
loneliness is perceived as a loss of control over life circumstances where
aloneness and solitude are decisions to take control of life in some way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But regardless – all are choices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Failure – Many believe that failure is the outcome due to
circumstances that were beyond their control like a recession, hurricane or
maybe even a robbery or the death of someone who was an important part of a
business enterprise (indirect choices – you chose to live there, work there,
prepare poorly for future negative economic circumstances). An important thing
to consider when it comes to this topic is your definition of failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it negative or positive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it necessary for success or something that
holds you back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not going to write a
book about this topic now as I already have but am just asking you to consider
– do you see failure as a required step in the life learning process or a
roadblock that prevents success? Failure just doesn’t happen, like success,
it’s always the result of something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What - you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, having
failed many times during my life I will tell you that failure is just like any
other life circumstance; problem, opportunity, challenge, etc. what matters is
not what is happening but why and how you respond to what is happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So. you decided to take a new position or
start a new career, buy a new home, start a new business – whatever . . . and
it didn’t work out the way you planned, hoped or dreamed. Was it something you
did or didn’t do that caused the failure?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have no clue but if you hadn’t taken the action in the first place -
never bought the home or stated the business – would you have failed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you never got married would you never have
gotten divorced?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See where I’m going
with this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All outcomes are the result
of all actions or lack of them i.e. choices (direct or indirect).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Decided to smoke for thirty years and got
cancer (direct). . . never exercised and ended up with heart problems in your
fifties (direct)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fire destroyed your
business and caused you to give it up (direct – you chose the location, the
insurance or lack of it, etc. (indirect – the fire was caused by someone or
something else). These examples are endless and the bottom line in every
failure sooner or later is a choice – let me be clear – the choice was not to
fail but the failure was an outcome of the choice to act or not act.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guilt, regret, jealousy or remorse (direct or indirect
depending on any number of circumstances) – OK one more. Ever felt any of these
emotions? What caused them – your actions or the actions, behavior or decisions
of someone else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have a choice to feel them, experience
them, and have them occupy your mind for hours, days or even years or you can
choose to let them go, get over them – whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my life mantras is simply – “I am not
going to let the behavior of others determine my behavior. I am not letting you
control me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, do and say
what you want – it’s your right but I also have the right to either ignore
them, respond to them or let you have control over me and how I choose to react
to them. Again – the choice in mine and not because you gave it to me but
because life gave it to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s if folks – so I’ll close with two simple questions
– are the choices that you are making today “on auto-pilot” or are you
considering, thinking about or evaluating some aspect of them before you choose?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you aware of both the direct and indirect contributors
to the outcomes in any area of life you are currently experiencing?</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-3454335028644738672019-07-04T07:13:00.001-07:002019-07-04T07:13:36.636-07:00Is the grass really greener on the other side of the street<br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is the grass really greener on the other side of the street</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is the grass really
greener on the other side of the street? Do the people over there that
you observe - day in and day out; have more fun, better relationships, more rewarding
careers, fewer problems or just have better lives in general? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are they content or are
they looking at your side of the street wondering the same things about
you? If you switched sides would both of you be any happier? Have less
stress? Find your life's dream in the front yard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consider for a moment -
maybe the grass is greener on the other side of the street because they are
using better fertilizer, weeding more often and watering regularly. Maybe
they are just taking better care of their lawn (life) than you are. I'm
sure I don't need to give you hundreds of words and unlimited illustrations for
you to get this simple analogy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most people are
searching for only a few fundamental things in life. I believe the
significant ones are to be loved and to give love, acceptance for who they are
and who they are becoming, appreciation, validation, respect and the
opportunity to be happy, successful, safe and content. All of the other stuff
you and I say we want - and the list is far too long to share here - is often
just an elusive dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It could be time to
start doing a better job of nurturing your own lawn, garden (life) than the
people you seem to envy are doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Having been in front of
over a million people in my global audiences over the years I can tell you that
after hundreds if not thousands of discussions - everyone wishes they had
something better or different in their life, career, finances, business or
relationships. And yet - they keep searching outside themselves for the
answers, solutions or results. <br />
<br />
Suffice it to say that you will never get everything you want "out
there" until you do a better job of fertilizing, growing and nurturing
your "in there." What are you searching for now or have you
been looking for, hoping for or dreaming about for years that is still evading
you or that is missing in your life? Let's take a brief look at just a
few of these: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love: Everyone wants to
love someone and be loved by someone. It is a deep yearning in every
human heart, the desire for real and lasting love. Not just romantic
love, not egotistical love, not superficial love, not manipulative love just
real unconditional love from the heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Acceptance: I believe
everyone wants to feel like they are o.k. just the way they are, that they
don't need to change anything, according to your expectations, to be accepted
by you. I can be me and it's o.k. You don't have to like it, but you can
learn to accept it or live with it. No one was put on this earth for the
approval of others. Yes, we all can grow and be better, wiser, smarter,
nicer, etc. but that's up to us and not those in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Appreciation: Real
appreciation, given from the heart with no agendas or expectations is one of
the real needs of the human spirit. Appreciation says you care, are aware of
what other's do, are interested in showing them that they matter.
Everyone does something every day for others and I guarantee that they feel
they should be appreciated for it. I am not saying here that you should
spend every waking minute giving appreciation to someone who is insecure,
needy or egotistical. No matter how much you give them it will never be
enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Validation: There
are so many ways we invalidate people. We interrupt them, we forget to do
things for them that we promised we would, we don't listen to them, we do all
of the talking when we are with them, we don't give them credit for having
anything worthwhile to say, feel and we take credit for their ideas. We
constantly say to them: you should, why don't you, you need to - this list
my friends is endless. One way to know if you are with an
"invalidator" is: how do you feel when you are around them? Do
you like yourself more or less when in their presence? When we invalidate
others, we say to them - you don't matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Respect: Not everyone
will go to the moon, invent a cure for cancer or become a billionaire but we
all deserve the respect of others regardless of our race, education, religion,
age, looks, etc. This doesn't mean we agree with them or even like them,
but respect is not about liking or loving. When you judge another person
that doesn't define them - it defines you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, let me ask you - is
it time to buy some more or better-quality fertilizer for your lawn?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-12797119154718238192019-06-29T07:53:00.004-07:002019-06-29T07:53:39.526-07:00If you can’t handle the valleys you don’t deserve the peaks.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Over the years I have considered the fact that I have
spent a great deal of time in life’s valleys; times of discouragement,
frustration, anxiety and have often wondered why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was I doing wrong that allowed me so
little time to view life from its peaks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But then during one of my epiphany days, it occurred to me, the way a
person defines both valley’s and peaks have a great deal to do with their
perspective, attitudes, and lessons while experiencing any life situation or
circumstance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Exactly what is a valley?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is it when life isn’t giving you what you say you want, or you think you
deserve?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it when you are worse off
than others you know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it when your
life is just going down in flames and you haven’t a clue as to why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it when all your Facebook Friends are
busier and doing more fun stuff than you are . . . or, is it really a time of
life when it is important to pay attention, learn and grow so that when you
leave the valley you will be better equipped to enjoy the peaks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My early perspective was the former and it
took me many years and a lot of time in the valleys to finally change my definition
of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have put more years behind
me, I have discovered that the times in the valleys have helped me a great deal
when I was fortunate to see life from a peak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is the peak, really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is it when life is good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When all
you desire comes to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it when
there is no pain, failure or adversity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or, is it a time when you can get too relaxed, confident and even
arrogant about what you have, who you are and where you are heading?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many people in history have made their greatest
contributions to life and their fellow man while in life’s valleys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a lot of people who have enjoyed many
years on the peaks have contributed very little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just took and took.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I can recall hating the valleys and longing to leave them
hoping for some relief from the pain and despair that were my everyday
companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can also tell you that
life from the peaks without arriving there having spent some time in the
valleys will be of little value and joy, if getting there didn’t require some
valuable lessons learned in the valleys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s my point if you are still wondering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t spend your time in the valleys whining, complaining
or blaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a waste of time and
energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And believe me, everyone sooner
or later will visit one of the many valleys in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have never been in one or are not in
one now . . . keep the vigil my friend for it may be just around the next
corner ready to pounce while you are happy and carefree even arrogant enjoying
life from one of life’s many peaks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m not being negative – trust me – but I have learned
that no one escapes a few valleys sooner or later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you have paid the price of time in a valley never
forget its lessons and learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
suggesting that you wallow or stay stuck in the past but that you never become
so overconfident thinking “you have paid the price, it’s clear sailing from
here on.” As a sailor, I can tell you – you never know what the wind can do to
you if you are not prepared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And please keep one thought in mind, the lessons learned from
the valleys make the time you get to spend on the peaks so much more gratifying,
joyful and filled with peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PS: If you’ve never been in a valley – it’s coming . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-3709980628354881172019-06-19T11:49:00.004-07:002019-06-19T11:49:56.797-07:00Take the - Leadership/Self-evaluation Quiz<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leadership
Self-evaluation/Personal </span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Scoring Quiz ©<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you ever wondered how your employees
or customers define you vs. your self-definition?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got the courage to find out? It’s simple process
- rate yourself on a 1-10 scale on the following items: </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">(1= Poor/none/no - - 5 = Average/yes
& no/sometimes - - 10 = Perfect/always/yes) that will take less than ten
minutes of your time but could give you enlightenment you have never achieved
or realized.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once completed - - give the
same blank evaluation to your employees, customers – whoever you would be
interested in knowing the scores they would give you and ask them to rate you.
The rest is easy – compare results to see how you are doing in terms of
consistency, congruence, awareness and/or interpretation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Communication consistency ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Example setting ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Integrity/ethics ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Leadership style ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Personal Accountability ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Respect for others ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ego control ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arrogance management ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>9) Positive culture contributors ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10) Personal performance consistency ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11)Trusting others ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>12) Demonstrated respect for others ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13) Empowering management style ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14) Communication clarity ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>15) Honoring your word ____<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">TOTAL SCORE:</span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> _______<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Compliments<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim Connor, CSP – </span></b><a href="mailto:timspeaks4u@gmail.com"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">timspeaks4u@gmail.com</span></b></a><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">704-875-1230 – timconnor.com</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-11378954879401413372019-06-15T11:13:00.001-07:002019-06-15T11:13:10.748-07:00Is there a single word that describes you . . .<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What’s
the one word . . .<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim
Connor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you ever considered what one single word describes
you – your values, beliefs, choices, decisions, actions, behaviors, attitudes,
etc.?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Regardless of whether it’s relatives, friends, customers,
employees or even total strangers where you had a short but meaningful
interaction – if asked – what’s one word they would use to describe you, what
would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, I know this might sound silly and even impossible but
work with me for just a few minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tim, how can we limit our entire life with all its experience, lessons,
interactions, etc. to just one word – that’s impossible. OK, so what if I said
you could have two words or a complete sentence or even an entire paragraph –
any easier???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m guessing no and why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I just can’t do it you say, summarize my entire life with
all its years of experience into a few words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>OK, I agree, but just for a minute try it, what word would you most want
others in your life (everyone) use to define or describe you; fun, arrogant,
playful, serious, dedicated, self-centered, honest, stupid, caring, egotistical
– I could go on with a couple of hundred thousand words but I’m sure you get my
point with just a few.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, here’s the test – I want you to create a list of 12
words that you feel in your opinion overall best describes you – write them
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now I want you to ask many or most of the people in you’re
a simple question – “What one word would you use to describe me and/or my life.
You don’t have all day so what one word comes to mind quickly that you feel is
a representation of me and my lifestyle.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Write them down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now I’m sure you have figured out the next step –
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, OK, how many of the words you
wrote down were used by others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND –
was there one or two that were most dominant either that wasn’t on your list or
were?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tim, what is the point of this entire exercise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a lot on my plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Simple – is who you think you are what or who others
(some, many or all) think you are and if not – why not?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Try it – it might be fun but I’m sure it will be
enlightening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2180987945859894314.post-64371716721520235822019-06-11T14:55:00.004-07:002019-06-11T14:55:58.131-07:00Thoughts and life outcomes - a few questions<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thoughts
and life Questions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The mind is your life’s control tower – is it
working for you or against you? <o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thoughts = life = attitudes = actions = outcomes<i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t like some of the outcomes you are
getting in any life area . . . consider the following</i> . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where are my thoughts leading me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where do I want my thoughts to take me in the future?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do my thoughts fit who I am – who I want to be – do what I
want to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are my thoughts helping me become who I want to be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How are my thoughts impacting those around me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are my thoughts building me up or tearing me down?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where did my current thoughts come from?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why am I thinking these thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How do these thoughts make me feel?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why am I continuing to think these thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do I need to do to change my thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Am I willing to do the inner work to change my thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want more questions like these – order my “Life Questions
Manual” on my website;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />TimSpeakerTrainerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13992732929640466023noreply@blogger.com0